Tube still furnace



Sept. 1, 1931. H. THOMAS 1,821,531

TUBE sum, FURNACE Filed July 28, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1 It? c! WIT/V456: M VEA TOR AYruy 5200203 M ITTVEWEYJ- Sept. 1, 1931. H. THOMAS 1,321,531

TUBE STILL FL'IRNACE Filed July 28. 1928 SSheets-Sheet 2 Mme: M #9717 Mama: 'iZA" t Sept. 1, 1931. THQMAS 1,821,531

TUBE STILL FURNACE lY/M ESS:

PateflftPSe-pt. l, 1931 HENRY THOMAS, OF-RIDLEY PAR-x, rEnNsYLvANIaassIeNoR To sun 01L COMPANY,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATIOH on NEW JERSEY V T BE STILL "FURNACE Application filed Jul as,

My invent-ion relates to tube still furnaces. Such furnaces comprise fire-brick walls en closing banks of tube-sections through which circulates oil that is heated by means of hot gases that flow between and around the tubes and transfer theretoand to the flowing stream of oil moreor less of their heat.

The furnace to which my-invention has been applied comprises one or more-Dutch ovens communicating with a single, long, uprightgas-combining and oil heating chamher; The invention is applicable to any heat-- inq chamber in which are arranged banks of tubes superimposed one upon another. The oil or other liquid to be heated and thereby distilled, cracked or otherwise treated flows tion, only the combustion chamber and the contained tubes and their supporting means. are shown, as the whole invention is comprised therein.

In an application filed by me July 6, 1927, Serial No. 203,702, a tube still ofthe char-,

, acter described is set forth. Therein are disclosed beams overlying the chamber, barsep tending within and transverselyof the chant her and supporting an upper ank of tubes, and hangers depending from the overlying cross-beams and supporting the bars. Therein are also disclosed cross-beams overlying the chamber, hangers depending from said cross-beams, other cross-beams'W1th1n the chamber supported by said hangers, hangers depending from said insideeross-beams, and bars extending within and transversely ofthe chamber and supported by the last-named hangers; the bars supporting a lower bank of tubes.

The above tube-supporting means is admi- 1928. Serial No. 296,051.

rably adapted to a fair sized tube still; In a large tubestill, however, it is advisable to divide-the tubes into threeaor more banks. It is. practicable to support the'upper bank of tubes and one of the lower banks, preferably the lowest, as above described. But in the case of a large tube still, it has been found necessary to provde modifications of and additionsto the tube-supporting means shown in my said application; These modifications and additions comprise the present invention.

W'here the furnace is of large dimensions it is impracticable, or at least undesirable, to support the internal cross-beam solely from an overhead cross-beam, butit is desirable to so support it in part. If, however, such internal cross-beam is located a substantial dis% 'tance from the top of the combustion chamber, the longitudinal expansion and contraction of the supporting hanger or hangers are such as to anake this method of support ap parently-impracticable. Either, due. to expansion of the hanger, the internal crossbeam will sag very much, or it will be forced to carry the entire load without the aid of such hanger or hangers.

One of the objects of the present-invention I is to provide for supporting the internal cross-beam in part or in whole from over.- head cross-beams regardless of the degree of expansion or contraction of such hanger or hangers.

Another object of the invention is to provide special means for supporting a middle bankof tubesfrom such cross-beam.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation through the still, l

Fig. Qis a longitudinal sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan View. p The fire-brick walls a enclosing the heating chamber, or tube-containing space of the furnace, rest on horizontally bextending I- beams c which are in turn supported on short columns 0. The roof I) of the furnace is supported on the walls a in any desired way.

Outside the walls a of the furnace are erected tall columns 03, on which rest, above the roof level, transversely extending end beams or girders e and one or more transversely extending intermediate beams or girders f. Carried between adjacent cross girders along each side are longitudinall extending I-beams g. Supported on, an extending over, longitudinally extending I- beams g are cross girders h.

Depending from cross-beams f are'rods i, which 'are jointed so that their lower ends form links. From these links are suspended cross-bars, from which de end short links which supportlower crossars, from which depend other links which support still lower cross-bars, and so on. The cross-bars are lettered j and the links In and are more fully described in my said prior application. The upper bank a: oftubes is supported on these cross-bars j.

Extending across the furnace, between the middle bank 3 of tubes and the lower bank 2 of tubes are girders m and n, directly beneath and parallel with girders f and h. These girders extend through the side walls of the furnace and their ends are supported on longitudinally extending I-beams g which are carried between columns d.

From each cross girder m depend'hangers 0, which suspend cross-bars, from which depend links which sup ort lower cross-bars, from which depend lin s which support still lower cross-bars, and so on. The cross-bars are lettered p and the links 1' and are more fully described in mysaid prior application. The lower bank .2 oftubes is supported on these cross-bars p.

R'estin on each (the plates of a pair being he ted together at u), the lower tier of I-bars supports a higher tier of I-bars, which, in turn, by means of similar pairs of plates, supports a still higher p of tubes.

In view'of the weight and length of girders m and n, it is highly desirable to support them between their ends. As heretofore explained, it is impracticable, because of their eat contraction and expansion, to support t em from hangers secured directlto girders f and h. In order that these ir ers m and n shall be effectively supporte between their ends at all times irrespective of temperature conditions the following mode of suspension has been found 'racticable.

Su ports on each girder h are pairs of stan ards 10, 10. On the standards of each pair are pivoted, between their ends, levers 11,

cross girder n are a lower' tier of I- ars. By means of airs of plates t 11, the inner short arms of which are ointed to a hanger link 14, while their outer longer arms carry weights 13. Link 14 extends down between the beams of girder it through the roof of the furnace and between the beams of girder n and has secured to its lower end a member 15, on which girder n rests. Thereb a uniform tension is maintained on this ii at all times, regardless of temperature condie tions. I Each girder m is supported between its ends from girders f by means of a similar link 20 the upper end of which is similarly supported by means of weighted levers 21.

In specifying 1n the claims that the hanger supports the central portion of the beam n, I

do not desire to be restricted to the engagement of the hanger with the beam perecisely midway between the ends of the am, so

vlong as it is located substantially nearer the A center than the ends and is thus adapted to support the central portion.

What I claim and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is:

1. A furnace comprisin walls and a roof enclosing a heating cham r, tubestherein, a lower tube-supporting beam extendin within andtransversely of the chamber an supported against vertical movement at its ends, an overhead beam, a hanger extending through its side walls, means, outside the chamber, supporting the ends of said beam, an overhead beam, ahanger extending from said overhead beam and supgorting said lower beam between its ends, an

means, carried by said overhead beam, adapted to movabl support the upper end of said hanger an maintain a tension thereon notwithstanding its longitudinal contraction and expansion.

'3. A furnace comprising walls and a roof enclosing aheating chamber, tubes therein, a lower tube-supporting beam extending within and transversely of the chamber and su ported against vertical movement at its ends, an overhead beam, a hanger extending from said overhead beam and supporting the central portion of said lower beam, and a weighted lever supported by said overhead beam and connected in sup orting relation with the hanger, said we1 ted lever thus transmitting a uniform 10a to, and substan loo tially reventing sagging of, the lower beam notwit hstanding lon 'tudinal expansion and contraction of the anger under changing temperature conditions.

4. A furnace comprisin walls and a roof enclosing a heating chain er, tubes therein,

a lower tube-supporting beam extending within and transversely of the chamber and supported against vertical movement at its ends, an overhead beam, a hanger extending from said overhead beam and supporting the central portion of said lower beam, a pair of standards supported on said overhead beam on opposite sides of the upper end of the hanger, and weighted levers on opposite sides of the upper end of the hanger and pivoted on the respective standards and in supporting connection with the hanger, said weighted levers equalizing the side pull on the hanger and transmitting a uniform load to, and substantially preventing sagging of, the lower beam notwithstanding contraction and expansion of the hanger.

5. A furnace comprising walls and a roof enclosing a heating chamber, beams extending transversely within the chamber, tiers of tu e-supporting bars extending transversely within the chamber below said beams, hangers by means of which said tiers of bars are supported, one below another, from one of said beams, tiers of tube-supporting bars extending transversely within the chamber above said beams, and supports by means of which the last named tiers of bars are supported, one above another, from the other of said beams.

6. The construction set forth in claim 5 and comprisin also overhead beams extend ing above theurnace roof, and hangers supported from said overhead beams and extending downward through said roof and supporting the inside tube-supporting beams between their ends.

7 A furnace comprising walls and a roof enclosing a heating chamber, a beam of relatively large cross-section extending transversely within the chamber, tiers of tubesupporting bars of relatively small cross-section extending transversely within the chamber above said beam, tiers of tubes supported on said tiers of bars, supports by means of which the said tiers of bars are supported, one above another, and independent of the tubes from said beam, an overhead beam extending above the furnace roof, and a hanger supported from said overhead beam and extending downward through said roof and supporting the inside tube-supporting beam between its ends.

8. A furnace comprising walls and a roof enclosing a heating chamber, an overhead beam above the furnace roof, upper, lower and middle banks of tubes within the furnace, tiers of tube-supporting bars 'for each bank of tubes, hangers depending from the overhead beam and supporting the tiers of bars supporting the upper bank of tubes, beams extending transversel within the chamber between the midd e and lower banks, means to support from one inside beam the tiers of bars supporting the middle bank of tubes, and means to sus nd from the other inside beam the tiers 0 bars supporting the lower bank of tubes.

9. A furnace comprising walls and a roof enclosing a heating chamber, upper, lower and middle banks of tubes within the furnace, tiers of bars supporting each bank of tubes, beams extending transversely within the chamber between the middle and lower bank of tubes, means to support from and above one inside beam the tiers of bars supporting the middle bank of tubes, means to suspend from and below the other inside beam the lower bank of tubes, overhead beams above the furnace roof, and hangers supported from the overhead beams and supporting respectively the tiers of bars supporting the upper bank of the tubes and the two inside beams between their ends.

10. A furnace com rising walls and a roof enclosing a heating 0 amber, a beam extending transversely within the chamber and through its side walls, tiers of tube-supporting bars extendin transversely within the chamber above sai beam, supports by means of which the said tiers of bars are supported, one above another, from said beam, an overhead beam extendin above the furnace roof, a hanger su ported rom said overhead beam and extending downward through said roof and supporting the inside tube-supporting beam between its ends, and means, outside the chamber, supporting the ends of the inside tube-supporting beam.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, on this 27th da of July, 1928.

HENR THOMAS. 

